Welcome to my blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I believe that everyone can have a beautiful home without spending a fortune! One of my favorite things to do is find creative ways to re-purpose things I already have on hand, or have picked up at yard sales and thrift stores. Join me as I share with you some of my favorite ideas for crafting and decorating, as well as travel adventures, and fun things that I pick up on my treasure hunts! Much of my work is influenced by my love all things French, nature, and of course shabby chic! I have gotten so many creative ideas from you very talented bloggers out there, and I hope that I can be an inspiration to you as well!

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Where I Create

Bonjour Mes Amis!

I've been a busy bee cleaning, organizing, and sprucing up my craft room! I'm so excited, as I will be participating for the very first time in the annual "Where Bloggers Create" party, over at My Desert Cottage!

I could hardly wait to share with you my room, which I call "my happy place"!

I am even more excited to see everyone elses wonderful and inspiring studios!

Warning, I got a little carried away at my "photo shoot" today! There are tons of pictures in this post!

My space is one large room, and takes up most of the lower level of our home, which is a walk out. Two patio doors, as well as several windows, let lots of natural light stream in, so it never feels like a "basement". It's so nice to be able to take a little break from whatever I am creating, glance out the window, and admire my flower gardens.
Up first is my French Provincial desk and hutch, with actually is part of the bedroom set that I had as a young girl! I repainted it last year, and think it is the perfect addition to my space!

The glittered Parisian themed banner (images are from the Graphics Fairy, as are many that I've used)), is a nod to my love of all things French!

I just finished creating these hat boxes, that I've covered in the most gorgeous Parisian themed wrapping paper! I've added various trims that I had on hand in tones of dreamy creamy white. For the boxes above, I used vintage trim that my mom gave me years ago, that I'd packed away and all but forgotten. It actually was curtain tie backs! While the boxes were alot more work than I thought, and they are by no means perfect, I think they are the piece de la resistance to the top of my hutch! Plus they are a pretty way to neatly stash supplies!

This cute little organizer was a garage sale find that I repainted.

I like keeping a stash of my hand created cards on hand (below). I never buy cards any more!

Large apothecary jar with a pretty decoupaged French label. A sweet little cherub that I painted light blue keeps me company.

I found this awesome cubicle (I call it my "cubby") several years ago at a moving sale. Hubby added the peg board to the side, as well as on the wall above, and I painted it my favorite shade of green. The cubby really helps me feel more organized, each side has 12 little cubbies, which is perfect for storing my many crafting supplies. And the peg board is great for keeping things organized and handy!

I find it easier to work standing up, which is why you don't see a chair here!
The peg board on the side of the cubby holds a variety of items, including a few creations from my Etsy shop, as well as a wire caddy the helps corral papers tags, and more.

This wooden tote, a garage sale find, is perfect for stashing my decorative punches. I painted it creamy white and gave it a pretty Frenchy label.

Plain ol' tin cans were given a Parisian makeover with more of my wrapping paper! They come in so handy for storing pens, pencils and more.

I like saving interesting jars and repurposing them for my craft room! Buttons, teeny tiny clothespins, rhinestones and various bits and bobs fill the jars.

I also love using things in unexpected ways. A few pieces of my milk glass collection pull duty by attractively storing bits and pieces, including my business cards (above).

This wooden mail carrier was oh so boring when I discovered it a few years ago! I added a lovely wooden applique to the top, painted it cream, and decoupage vintage sheet music, followed by some amazing bird images from the Graphics Fairy. It makes the perfect spot to store stickers, thank you cards that I include with all of my Etsy orders, and more.

This two tired wire basket, a thrift store find, makes a handy and pretty spot to store supplies.
Small peat pots that I've painted and glittered keep my glitter glue (my current addiction!!) within arms reach.

A wooden aqua step stool, made by hubby, displays a vintage French book, as well as a picture of us. The photo was taken several years ago at a friends Maui wedding, and it makes me smile each time I look at it!

Since I don't have a chair to sit in while I work, I can always take a little break here on my wicker love seat if I need to!

Katie loves it, too!

I found this cute little cabinet back when we lived in Washington State. It was a dark wood finish, so of course I just had to paint it my favorite creamy color!

I love the wire fronted drawers of the cabinet. They hold everything from pretty ribbon, to this sweet tag made by a friend.

Part of the biggest challenge of my craft room is finding places to store and display all of my creations from myEtsy shop, without it looking like, well, a storage room!
So, I have things tucked here and there, among treasures that are mine to keep!

This baker's rack, given to me by my mom, is great for displaying and holding lots of goodies.

I love baskets! I have many, both wicker and wire, thru out my craft room.

This wicker bicycle basket is perfect for storing my collection of vintage sheet music, which often shows up in my work!

Below are some of my painted picture frames in a favorite wire basket.

Next we are moving to a part of my room that has a brick wall and alcove, which I use to store lots of creations from my shop.

Natasha, my mannequin that I found last fall at Home Goods, decided to model for you a sash of glittered roses that I created from vintage sheet music!

Oooh, la, la!

Here are a pair of angels to watch over you! I've decoupaged them with more of my vintage sheet music, and "framed" them in an antique frame painted the same creamy white as the brick wall.

A closer look at a few of my creations that are in my shop!

I adore this vintage egg basket! My mom used to use it to gather eggs on our family's farm many years ago. I just had to paint it my favorite green color!

Hi Donna,I am in love with your creative space and so inspired. Every inch is perfect. Love your standing work table. I stand too, but your work table is so functional to fill with storage. Love the peg board for supplies and the way you have your tools handy.It looks to be very large and the different areas gives it such a cozy style. I love blue and white toile too. Katie is too cute and I bet she loves to be here when you are creating. Gosh I want to move in. I can see you enjoying many happy hours here. Makes me want to start over redesigning my studio.You are amazing. I have to go back and view everything again. I want to show my hubby your standing work table with the cubbies. I love organization and your space is the best!!

Thank you for sharing where you create your beautiful designs.Have fun and a great weekend,Hugs, Celestina Marie

Tres chic Donna! This room is so spacious, adorable, organized and totally YOU! It's got all the lovely French touches here and there, and such clever use of storage holders. That large cubby table is perfect for working on all your crafts. I can imagine you here, crafting happily away to your heart's content. Wonderful!

OOOO...la, la!! I love that you're so passionate about a french theme that you don't miss a beat to have an opportunity to surround yourself with it! Using your amazing creative talent to embellish found items that ooze with the french spirit! Those hatboxes are adorable! And I am so impressed that you have a piece of furniture from when you were a little girl! That makes me smile! Love everything here and could spend hours perusing each and every little corner!!

Oh my oooh la la is right! im dyin! I would be running and waving my hands above my head to have such a large space! i love mine but wow yours is just gorgeous! all the light and so very lucky to still have your Mother with you! I sure miss mine! She would have loved my space im making! we would have had so much fun and laughs in there!! Oh dear tears! :( anyway im now following you, eye candy, thank you, got some neat ideas as im still under construction haha, hey we have some of the same pieces! i think i need to girlie them up a bit with paper and lace! hugs to you and happy Sunday! kat =^.^=

Oh my goodness - your studio is fabulous - so pretty and well organized. I love your touches of green and your easy to work at cubicle. Katie is adorable and I am sure that she is very helpful in the studio.Thank you for sharing.Blessings, Erin

Your studio is absolutely beautiful and Katie is so sweet. I saw the picture of Our Blessed Mother and I started to cry because my dear Grandmother had the exact same one while I was growing up and it reminded me of her. Thank you for the precious memory.

You have a beautiful creative space, Donna! I love your Parisian theme. I have incorporated it into my craft sewing room, too. I envy you the natural light you have here. You've got so much to see ~ I'd love to have a week in this space just to look at it all!

Hi Donna, Your studio is so lovely. I love your colors and your light! Thank you for stopping by my studio and give me some good advise. I like your suggestion of hanging pictures from the baby gate. I'll have to try that. Lydia says hi. : )

I love your craative space and I am sure that I have found a kindred spirit in you. You have to come and visit my blog and see my space. I have done much with french topography too. In fact we did basically the same thing with one image. I paint all kinds frames and well, we just like the same things for sure and I am a new follower here and I am having a giveaway too!

Your style is very cute. Love the crock table, I have one that I might do that with too. I've seen a birdbath made into a table before which is also darling. I have the same lavender sachets from Paris that you have! Thank you for sharing your room with us.

Oh my, your little Katie knows how to strike a good pose : ) she's so cute. I also enjoy having my fur baby keep me company in my work room. I really like your space, so relaxing and light and I really the work table you have with the green pegboard, great space to work on (I also mostly stand when I work). And I like all your picture frames and things, much have a look at your etsy shop

Oh, how I've been wanting to see your craft room/studio and I wasn't disappointed. I love your cubby area with the pegboard. You make it look so easy to be organized. I would really enjoy all that light. My room has windows but I don't get much light and I miss that.Thanks for the tour.

I love your little bit of Paris! You have created a wonderful place to work your magic. I love how you have added the labels to your containers and the hat boxes are adorable. The cubbie was an awesome find. Everything is just Ooh-la-la lovely! I found a fantastic piece to add to my craft room the other day. hugs,Jann

Hi Donna, I came back to be inspired by your creative space once again. It is so lovely and you have so much room to display all your pretties. I noticed we have the same carpet. I love the berber. And, our decorating is very similar using vintage crochet doilies and such. How wonderful to have the walk out too and all the great sunlight. I could spend hours in this space. I hope one day I can visit on a trip to Michigan.Happy Creating,Hugs, Celestina Marie